BILLIONAIRE Gautam Adani-controlled Adani Group is closing in on a US$3.5 billion loan to refinance existing debt that was taken out to fund the purchase of Ambuja Cements, in what would be the latest sign of confidence among creditors in the conglomerate.

The deal, which would be among the top 10 biggest loans in Asia this year, could be sealed this week, according to sources familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.  

The loan would likely be priced at 450-500 basis points all-in-costs over the benchmark secured overnight finance rate, they said. The deal will comprise three tenors: six-month, 18-month and three-year, as Bloomberg News had previously reported.  

An Adani Group representative did not immediately respond to an e-mail outside of business hours in India.

The financing comes after months of negotiations with banks and follows allegations of fraud by US short-seller Hindenburg Research that caused the company’s bonds and shares to plunge earlier in the year. Adani has strongly denied those claims.  

The group’s flagship firm already raised 12.5 billion rupees (S$206.4 million) by issuing local-currency bonds in July, as the company sought to put the Hindenburg claims behind it. BLOOMBERG

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